sports A lack of offensive production – and players – were the main factors in the Detroit Lakes Post 15 team’s 0-5 showing in the Fargo Tournament last Friday through Sunday.
Being forced to call up a couple of eighth graders from the Detroit Lakes VFW team, as well as having only 10 to 11 players...
Detroit Lakes, 56501

Detroit Lakes Minnesota 511 Washington Avenue 56501

2013-07-05 08:41:04

A lack of offensive production – and players – were the main factors in the Detroit Lakes Post 15 team’s 0-5 showing in the Fargo Tournament last Friday through Sunday.

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Being forced to call up a couple of eighth graders from the Detroit Lakes VFW team, as well as having only 10 to 11 players total for the tournament, DL head coach Mitch McLeod had to play many of his players out of position defensively.

That led to errors, which in turn led to unearned runs, which in turn led to five losses and a 4-13 record on the season.

“We had a bunch of starters gone, again,” McLeod said. “We have kids on vacation or choosing to do other things. I’m not saying what they are doing isn’t legit, but having just 13 active players on the roster, there is little room for error.”

But the Post 15 still held their own against some stiff competition through their five games.

There were consistent pitching performances in all the contests, starting with A.J. Matter’s against Ham Lake Friday.

Matter allowed eight hits, with all of Ham Lake’s runs coming in the fourth and fifth innings, including three unearned runs in the fourth.

“A.J. pitched very well, but we couldn’t do anything offensively, then gave up three unearned runs in the fourth on three errors,” McLeod said.

In total, Post 15 had six errors, while producing just five hits against Ham Lake’s strong pitching.

It basically came down to who made the most mistakes and unfortunately, we did just that,” McLeod added.

Sam Voz held a potent Hopkins lineup in check for all seven innings, but the DL batting lineup couldn’t muster a run in a 1-0 loss.

DL and Hopkins each had three hits, while the latter scored an unearned run in the fifth for the game-tipping tally.

“Sam was throwing strikes, keeping the ball down and changing his speeds up well,” McLeod said. “I was just disappointed how we were swinging the bats.”

DL didn’t post any threats during the game, advancing just two runners to second base.

In Saturday’s 8-4 loss to Team Manitoba, Canada, both teams found their groove at the plate, combining for a total of 21 hits.

DL had only two errors, while picking up 10 hits, led by Voz’s three hits and RBI and Austin Eiter’s 2-4 game, with two RBIs, which came in a three-run seventh frame.

Reed Johnson pitched an effective game, but had to pitch against a select lineup of the Manitoba team, which used wood bats through the entire tournament.

“They were a very good team,” McLeod said. “We did play good defense, but they just hit the ball very well.”

DL had six errors in a 10-4 loss to Mitchell, S.D., later in the day, as Sam Velde allowed just seven hits.

Post 15 scrambled to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning on RBI hits by Taylor Magnuson and Eiter, but an error in the bottom of the first led to six unearned runs.

“Against teams like Mitchell, you need to do the little things right, or otherwise they take advantage of your mistakes,” McLeod said. “You need to be more precise when you play good teams.”

DL did have 12 hits, including leadoff hitter Ryan Cihak’s 3-4 game and two hits apiece by both Reed Johnson and eighth grade call-up Kavon Schumacher.

The gas was just about gone by the last game, as Fargo won 8-0 in a five-inning game. Eiter pitched well, but a five-run bottom of the fifth ended the game due to the eight-run rule.

McLeod commended the players who were able to play, but injuries to top of the order players such as Richie Grossman (concussion) and Stephen Erb (shoulder he injured in the All-Star football game) have affected the team’s offensive production.

“If we have all of our players, we go six to seven batters deep,” McLeod said. “We’ll get better as we start getting our players back, though.”

The Post 15 team will host Thief River Falls Monday for a doubleheader, starting at 5 p.m.